We have received an anonymous letter that raises some concerns we'd like to address. Because it was anonymous, we won't be able to post it, but it certainly suggests that some of you wonder how the call-back list is chosen, and whether you (or your child) were given a fair evaluation.
The answer is probably No. An audition is usually less than a minute long and no one performs their best during an audition. Rarely does anyone feel good about their audition, because they know it doesn't really represent what they can do -- even in front of other strangers. The board spends time preparing for the audition process and discussing how to make it a positive experience, especially for the newcomers and for those who have auditioned before and not been in the play, because we know this can be a trying experience with long-term consequences.
We determined we would 1) allow parents into the audition room; 2) bring in auditioners several at a time for moral support and to create a sense of camaraderie -- and to make more of the audition time available for actual seeing and hearing the auditioners. We also know that some children freeze up in front of others and on several occasions Saturday the directors cleared the room so that a single child could audition without others watching. At least one of those frozen children was included in call-backs.
Here's what we know: Every child who came to auditions has the ability to blossom and improve their talents by being in this play. During each play, we love to watch the newcomers expand and develop their hidden abilities. Often we look back to auditions and note that a child's extraordinary spunk or projection or improving voice was just not obvious at the audition. We know that we can't see what kids can do in a one-minute evaluation.
We also know: Every child who came to auditions has his or her heart invested in being in this play. Without that motivation, who would go to the trouble to wait for several hours for an audition spot and sing in front of a bunch of people who are listening to 150 other kids? And the parents who came gave up hours on a Saturday when they had plenty of other things to do because they know that their child would benefit and contribute positively to this play.
We'd like to give you a little insight into the process of deciding who to invite to call-backs.
After auditions were finished about 1:20 p.m. on Saturday, the Upstage board and the directors (who are not board members) sat around a table until 6:30 p.m., focused completely on the selection process. We marveled at the increasing quality of auditioners for each play. We reviewed the fact that board members only wanted their children considered for call-backs if they had earned the part. Board member parents of affirmed that they didn't want to be consulted about whether their child should be considered for this or that part -- that the directors of the play should make those decisions as they would about any other child -- without parental input.
Next we reviewed the auditions that were particularly weak. We called up each child's photo. We went over our notes of the way the child performed his or her song. Our guideline was to be as positive as possible. We discussed each child's strengths. Remember, this was simply for the children in the "weak" pile. In spite of a weak audition, if any of us felt that a child we were discussing should come to call-backs, that child was kept in the "possibles" pile. After this hour long section of the review, we still had 135 children in the call-back pile, and needed to eliminate at least 50 more children. That meant that 50 children with stronger performances would need to be eliminated before the afternoon review was done.
Next we looked at each role in Willy Wonka, and reviewed the audition of those children who might be considered for that role. For call-backs, we needed to be sure that we had a sufficient number of children who would fit each role. No role was pre-cast. One of the roles (not a lead) required a particular talent, and several auditioners were discussed for this role, including the child of a board member. This is the closest any discussion came to selecting a role prior to call-backs. But no role was set.
In this process, equal consideration was given to new faces as old. Some old faces did not make call-backs. These decisions felt like rejecting old friends. But each of us knows that new faces need a chance too.
At the end of several hours of reviewing each child's audition and the possible parts each might play, there are always 30 or more auditioners that must still be eliminated. The process often comes down to turning the names face-down and selecting 30 at random to eliminate from consideration.
Here are some of the guidelines that made it more or less likely that your child's audition resulted in a call-back.
1) Has he or she auditioned more than once without being called back or without participating in a play? (This information on the audition sheet is reviewed carefully-- we want to reward those who audition more than once)
2) Is your child a boy? (Boys have a better chance of being invited because they audition in fewer numbers)
3) Is your child the right size, hair color, type for the roles in this play?
4) Is your child younger than 7 or older than 14? (The youngest and oldest are more likely to be invited to call-backs because there are fewer in these groups who audition)
5) Does your child sing in too "pop" a style? Are there scoops or a nasal tone?
6) Did your child have trouble maintaining a pitch? (This is more likely if your child sang without accompaniment)
7) Did your child seem to enjoy his or her audition? Did he or she move comfortably?
8) Did your child present himself/herself as well-prepared and confident?
9) Was your child well-behaved and responsive in the audition room?
10) Have you had a child in an Upstage play before? This can work for you or against you.
If you have participated in a play before and you gave tremendous parental support, your talented child has an advantage in auditions. Our productions depend entirely on parent help. Still, there are some of these hard-workers who are cut in the "random elimination" round of the review.
If you have participated in a play before and you weren't able to share your load in being a parent helper, or neglected to pick up your children within a reasonable time after rehearsal, or if you complained rather than offered to help, or if your child missed too many rehearsals, your previous participation is a disadvantage in auditions. (Some children have trouble paying attention at rehearsals despite their talent or seem not to be able to take instruction from the directors -- we usually do not invite them to call-backs for the next play, but give them the benefit of the doubt of their maturing after that and include them as if they were as cooperative as everyone else in subsequent auditions.)
We have seen parents who have offered to help with the work involved in putting on a play, even when their child was cut from the play altogether. Their children have an advantage in auditions.
Why should this be? Let us give you a glimpse into the life of a board member. Imagine for a minute that we were thinking to do a second play and needed a second group of parent volunteers to produce this play. Here's what we'd need to let you know:
The hours are very long the pay is zero.
The rewards are many.
Plan to spend 150 or more hours giving service to great children in your community.
Be advised that if you have children in your home who are not in the play, they might experience signs of stress when they are left home during rehearsal and planning/building/cleaning hours while you are helping other children in the community.
Plan to miss homework help and sports events for your other children.
On rehearsal days when you are supervising (once or twice a week), accept that you may not get home until 9:00 or later because extra cleaning needed to be done, or because someone forgot to pick up their child.
Select directors who love children and are willing to upset their entire lives to plan the whole production and attend every rehearsal, maintaining a cheerful attitude and making it a positive experience for the children.
Plan to spend hundreds of hours on costume design, measuring, buying, sewing. Usually there are at least 50 costumes that need preparing (not including the ones you ask the parents to provide from DI).
Design and build the set. Find competent people to build it safely and to paint the backdrops.
Gather props and keep a list so you can return them or replace them if they get lost or broken during the play.
Recruit music people who are as committed to the play as you are. Let them know that they are expected to make recordings outside of rehearsal time and attend every single rehearsal.
Prepare publicity packets. Arrange for newspaper coverage.
Obtain sponsorships from local businesses.
Prepare programs and print enough for every night.
Print hundreds of tickets and keep track of how many tickets have been given to or sold by each of the cast members.
Have enough parent volunteers to properly supervise the large cast you will want to have so that as many children as possible are in the play. Make sure parents are scheduled and remember to attend and supervise rehearsals, clean up after every event, provide a dinner for the cast near production time, help with concessions, costumes, make-up and transportation of various kinds.
Parents are also needed for the cast party and clean up of the entire production. Plan on staying till about 2:00 a.m., if you can get all the children leave by midnight.
Maintain careful financial records, tracking all of the money that comes in and goes out because we need detailed and complete information to maintain our non-profit status.
When children hurt themselves jumping off the stage or leap-frogging or playing outside, be prepared to field questions about who was supervising them. And when people save seats at performances without paying for them, one parent will need to be the bad guy and talk to the adults in the group about what they need to do.
In auditions for the next play, don't say a word when your child is considered or eliminated.
Also make sure to be prepared to have unsavory things said about you, when all you are doing is serving the community.
Just for the record, the call-back list includes 50% people who have never been in an Upstage play before. At call-backs each of those new people will have the same chance to sing solos, to read (try-out the speaking parts) and to dance as everyone else. The directors are interested in fresh faces too.
You may be interested to know that of the five board of directors, only Lisa Hansen had a child with a lead in Cinderella. In Aladdin, Nels Hansen was recruited after call-backs were completed and Jafar had not been found. Carrie Houtz' son Austin was the outstanding choice for the genie. No other lead was a child of the board of directors. No child of the board of directors had a lead in Sound of Music, Robin Hood, Wizard of Oz or Pirates of Penzance, though some of the board of directors' children repeatedly auditioned for those leads and were heartbroken at not getting them.
If your child did not get invited to call-backs and none of the reasons above apply, it is possible that your talented child was eliminated randomly. Some extremely supportive families who had four or five members audition found that only some were invited to call-backs. Some who have given many hours previously were unfortunately eliminated as well.
Get involved with this play as a parent volunteer. It will give your child an advantage in the next audition. But there is never a guarantee, not even for the children of the board of directors.
Thanks
The Upstage Board of Directors
The answer is probably No. An audition is usually less than a minute long and no one performs their best during an audition. Rarely does anyone feel good about their audition, because they know it doesn't really represent what they can do -- even in front of other strangers. The board spends time preparing for the audition process and discussing how to make it a positive experience, especially for the newcomers and for those who have auditioned before and not been in the play, because we know this can be a trying experience with long-term consequences.
We determined we would 1) allow parents into the audition room; 2) bring in auditioners several at a time for moral support and to create a sense of camaraderie -- and to make more of the audition time available for actual seeing and hearing the auditioners. We also know that some children freeze up in front of others and on several occasions Saturday the directors cleared the room so that a single child could audition without others watching. At least one of those frozen children was included in call-backs.
Here's what we know: Every child who came to auditions has the ability to blossom and improve their talents by being in this play. During each play, we love to watch the newcomers expand and develop their hidden abilities. Often we look back to auditions and note that a child's extraordinary spunk or projection or improving voice was just not obvious at the audition. We know that we can't see what kids can do in a one-minute evaluation.
We also know: Every child who came to auditions has his or her heart invested in being in this play. Without that motivation, who would go to the trouble to wait for several hours for an audition spot and sing in front of a bunch of people who are listening to 150 other kids? And the parents who came gave up hours on a Saturday when they had plenty of other things to do because they know that their child would benefit and contribute positively to this play.
We'd like to give you a little insight into the process of deciding who to invite to call-backs.
After auditions were finished about 1:20 p.m. on Saturday, the Upstage board and the directors (who are not board members) sat around a table until 6:30 p.m., focused completely on the selection process. We marveled at the increasing quality of auditioners for each play. We reviewed the fact that board members only wanted their children considered for call-backs if they had earned the part. Board member parents of affirmed that they didn't want to be consulted about whether their child should be considered for this or that part -- that the directors of the play should make those decisions as they would about any other child -- without parental input.
Next we reviewed the auditions that were particularly weak. We called up each child's photo. We went over our notes of the way the child performed his or her song. Our guideline was to be as positive as possible. We discussed each child's strengths. Remember, this was simply for the children in the "weak" pile. In spite of a weak audition, if any of us felt that a child we were discussing should come to call-backs, that child was kept in the "possibles" pile. After this hour long section of the review, we still had 135 children in the call-back pile, and needed to eliminate at least 50 more children. That meant that 50 children with stronger performances would need to be eliminated before the afternoon review was done.
Next we looked at each role in Willy Wonka, and reviewed the audition of those children who might be considered for that role. For call-backs, we needed to be sure that we had a sufficient number of children who would fit each role. No role was pre-cast. One of the roles (not a lead) required a particular talent, and several auditioners were discussed for this role, including the child of a board member. This is the closest any discussion came to selecting a role prior to call-backs. But no role was set.
In this process, equal consideration was given to new faces as old. Some old faces did not make call-backs. These decisions felt like rejecting old friends. But each of us knows that new faces need a chance too.
At the end of several hours of reviewing each child's audition and the possible parts each might play, there are always 30 or more auditioners that must still be eliminated. The process often comes down to turning the names face-down and selecting 30 at random to eliminate from consideration.
Here are some of the guidelines that made it more or less likely that your child's audition resulted in a call-back.
1) Has he or she auditioned more than once without being called back or without participating in a play? (This information on the audition sheet is reviewed carefully-- we want to reward those who audition more than once)
2) Is your child a boy? (Boys have a better chance of being invited because they audition in fewer numbers)
3) Is your child the right size, hair color, type for the roles in this play?
4) Is your child younger than 7 or older than 14? (The youngest and oldest are more likely to be invited to call-backs because there are fewer in these groups who audition)
5) Does your child sing in too "pop" a style? Are there scoops or a nasal tone?
6) Did your child have trouble maintaining a pitch? (This is more likely if your child sang without accompaniment)
7) Did your child seem to enjoy his or her audition? Did he or she move comfortably?
8) Did your child present himself/herself as well-prepared and confident?
9) Was your child well-behaved and responsive in the audition room?
10) Have you had a child in an Upstage play before? This can work for you or against you.
If you have participated in a play before and you gave tremendous parental support, your talented child has an advantage in auditions. Our productions depend entirely on parent help. Still, there are some of these hard-workers who are cut in the "random elimination" round of the review.
If you have participated in a play before and you weren't able to share your load in being a parent helper, or neglected to pick up your children within a reasonable time after rehearsal, or if you complained rather than offered to help, or if your child missed too many rehearsals, your previous participation is a disadvantage in auditions. (Some children have trouble paying attention at rehearsals despite their talent or seem not to be able to take instruction from the directors -- we usually do not invite them to call-backs for the next play, but give them the benefit of the doubt of their maturing after that and include them as if they were as cooperative as everyone else in subsequent auditions.)
We have seen parents who have offered to help with the work involved in putting on a play, even when their child was cut from the play altogether. Their children have an advantage in auditions.
Why should this be? Let us give you a glimpse into the life of a board member. Imagine for a minute that we were thinking to do a second play and needed a second group of parent volunteers to produce this play. Here's what we'd need to let you know:
The hours are very long the pay is zero.
The rewards are many.
Plan to spend 150 or more hours giving service to great children in your community.
Be advised that if you have children in your home who are not in the play, they might experience signs of stress when they are left home during rehearsal and planning/building/cleaning hours while you are helping other children in the community.
Plan to miss homework help and sports events for your other children.
On rehearsal days when you are supervising (once or twice a week), accept that you may not get home until 9:00 or later because extra cleaning needed to be done, or because someone forgot to pick up their child.
Select directors who love children and are willing to upset their entire lives to plan the whole production and attend every rehearsal, maintaining a cheerful attitude and making it a positive experience for the children.
Plan to spend hundreds of hours on costume design, measuring, buying, sewing. Usually there are at least 50 costumes that need preparing (not including the ones you ask the parents to provide from DI).
Design and build the set. Find competent people to build it safely and to paint the backdrops.
Gather props and keep a list so you can return them or replace them if they get lost or broken during the play.
Recruit music people who are as committed to the play as you are. Let them know that they are expected to make recordings outside of rehearsal time and attend every single rehearsal.
Prepare publicity packets. Arrange for newspaper coverage.
Obtain sponsorships from local businesses.
Prepare programs and print enough for every night.
Print hundreds of tickets and keep track of how many tickets have been given to or sold by each of the cast members.
Have enough parent volunteers to properly supervise the large cast you will want to have so that as many children as possible are in the play. Make sure parents are scheduled and remember to attend and supervise rehearsals, clean up after every event, provide a dinner for the cast near production time, help with concessions, costumes, make-up and transportation of various kinds.
Parents are also needed for the cast party and clean up of the entire production. Plan on staying till about 2:00 a.m., if you can get all the children leave by midnight.
Maintain careful financial records, tracking all of the money that comes in and goes out because we need detailed and complete information to maintain our non-profit status.
When children hurt themselves jumping off the stage or leap-frogging or playing outside, be prepared to field questions about who was supervising them. And when people save seats at performances without paying for them, one parent will need to be the bad guy and talk to the adults in the group about what they need to do.
In auditions for the next play, don't say a word when your child is considered or eliminated.
Also make sure to be prepared to have unsavory things said about you, when all you are doing is serving the community.
Just for the record, the call-back list includes 50% people who have never been in an Upstage play before. At call-backs each of those new people will have the same chance to sing solos, to read (try-out the speaking parts) and to dance as everyone else. The directors are interested in fresh faces too.
You may be interested to know that of the five board of directors, only Lisa Hansen had a child with a lead in Cinderella. In Aladdin, Nels Hansen was recruited after call-backs were completed and Jafar had not been found. Carrie Houtz' son Austin was the outstanding choice for the genie. No other lead was a child of the board of directors. No child of the board of directors had a lead in Sound of Music, Robin Hood, Wizard of Oz or Pirates of Penzance, though some of the board of directors' children repeatedly auditioned for those leads and were heartbroken at not getting them.
If your child did not get invited to call-backs and none of the reasons above apply, it is possible that your talented child was eliminated randomly. Some extremely supportive families who had four or five members audition found that only some were invited to call-backs. Some who have given many hours previously were unfortunately eliminated as well.
Get involved with this play as a parent volunteer. It will give your child an advantage in the next audition. But there is never a guarantee, not even for the children of the board of directors.
Thanks
The Upstage Board of Directors
